In the drilling and completion industry, the formation of boreholes for the purpose of production or injection of fluid is common. The boreholes are used for exploration or extraction of natural resources such as hydrocarbons, oil, gas, water, and alternatively for CO2 sequestration.
Control of tools in the downhole environment and transmission of information between different points is an important facet of modern wells. Methods and apparatus capable of enhancing the quality of such communications have historically included hydraulic lines. More recently, electric conductors have been employed and most recently the industry has worked to create optical fiber assemblies capable of withstanding the harsh downhole environment in order to take advantage of the speed and accuracy of communications with optical fibers.
Deploying fiber optics in the lower completion depends on fiber optic connectors. Pressure compensating connectors exist for connecting optical fiber and electrical wire. These connectors are used for making and breaking connections in environments that have significantly different pressure than an ambient pressure where the connectors are assembled. Currently a downhole connector has all features integrated within the body of the connector. The pressure compensating features currently available are complicated devices prone to damage during their manufacture and their compensating ranges may be limited.
The art would be receptive to improvements in connectors for connecting optical fibers and electrical wire.